Parliament should have returned this week after the Christmas recess but, when we convened on 30^th December, the Government proposed that the break should be extended until next Monday. I voted against the proposal because I felt strongly that we should be sitting during this critical stage of the coronavirus crisis and holding the Government to account for their mishandling of it.

I spent much of the recess anticipating, assessing and helping to prepare Labour’s response to Boris Johnson’s agreement on our future relationship with the EU. As we left the transition period and fully ended our 47-year membership on 1 January, I stepped down from Labour’s front bench as there’s clearly no further role for a Shadow Brexit Minister.

Later today I’ll be joining a meeting with the Minister responsible for the Covid-19 vaccination process and, as well as other meetings on the coronavirus crisis, during the week ahead I’ll be meeting with residents in high-rise buildings affected by the cladding scandal and joining a meeting of the Labour Campaign for Electoral Reform of which I’m a Vice-Chair.

My office is now open again, operating remotely, so do get in touch on any concerns or issues on which you would like support.